


Lab Rats

by BoyMother



Category: Original Work
Genre: BoyMother, Boyfriends, Childhood Trauma, Cooking, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Genetic Engineering, Human Experimentation, Human Experiments, Hypnotism, M/M, Maternal Instinct, Mind Control, Romance, Slice of Life, Supernatural Elements, Superpowers, femboy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:41:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27581518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoyMother/pseuds/BoyMother
Summary: Human lab rats. Experimented on as children, grown up in a laboratory and given superhuman abilities.This is the story of two of these lab rats, living life after their escape as best they can.
Relationships: Bruno/MP
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	Lab Rats

Through some fancy footwork and maneuvering, Bruno managed to get through their apartment front door with both his arms filled with groceries. He set them down on the kitchen counter and slumped into one of the dining room chairs. The kitchen and the dining room were actually both the same tiny apartment space with barely enough room for a small table and two mismatched chairs. Their home was not luxurious. It was mostly bare, and what possessions they did have were cheap or well-used or both. But it was their home. Not a sterile laboratory or a park bathroom, but a real city apartment. It was a place they could call their own. A place they could settle down in and make lives in, after being denied that right for so long.  
Bruno usually got groceries on the first Saturday of every month. He would walk to the store, load up a couple bags with food and walk it back to the apartment. He eagerly looked forward to these trips. He would choose his favorite stores to go to, sometimes walking quite a while to get there, but cooking was a beloved hobby of his. The extra distance was worth fresher produce. Plus he liked the walk. It was time he had all to himself. He could take a detour through the park and people watch, or stop by his favorite bakery if the budget allowed. Sometimes he would sit on a park bench, munch on something he’d picked up at the store, and revel in the banality of it all. No more experiments, no more cages, no more running, just a regular guy getting groceries. A normal life. Despite his past, Bruno was a happy person with an abundance of love for life. He’d settled into their new existence quite well.  
After resting for a moment he got up to put the groceries away, cooking ideas bubbling up in his head.  
“MP? I’m home! Think I’m gonna make leek and potato soup for dinner!” He called back to his partner as he washed the dirt off two fat leeks in the sink. As much as he valued his personal time grocery shopping, he was a social creature at heart. He preferred to be accompanied when he had the choice. He was used to his partner watching him cook. It was part of the mundane routine that now structured both their lives.  
MP emerged from their bedroom when called, entering the kitchen with a yawn and a stretch.  
“You weren't napping, were you?” Bruno asked while chopping potatoes.  
“Maybe I was.” MP said with a shrug.  
“You’re gonna be up all night again!”  
“So? I like night time. You'll be asleep anyways, why do you care.”  
“You're gonna need to get a regular sleeping schedule eventually, babe. Did you get any job applications done today?”  
MP yawned again, “Tomorrow, I'll get some in tomorrow.”  
“MP! You’ve got to get more serious about this. You can’t just spend all day couped up in here. Plus, We could really use the money, you know.”  
“You’re such a mother.”  
“I’m your boyfriend, MP.”  
“My motherly boyfriend.”  
“Well, maybe that’s what you need. A motherly boyfriend to tell you to get yourself together.” Bruno took pride in his maternal side. When they were on the run, it was MP’s survival skills and abilities that he’d relied on. Now that they were settled down, his own talents could be of use. One of which was his quick adaptation to normal society, something MP still struggled with.  
Bruno chopped vegetables while MP watched and waited, entertaining himself by making little patterns with the salt grains he’d spilt onto the table. Despite his childish habits, MP was actually a couple of years older than Bruno. They didn’t know their exact birthdays, that was information they’d left at the lab. But they knew that at the time of their escape, MP had been 20, Bruno 18. 5 years later and they were 25 and 23.  
In all that time since the escape, Bruno had tried his hardest to blend into the world of normal people, with partial success. They were lab rats. Experiments that had been toyed with since childhood in an attempt to engineer superhuman abilities. As much much as they’d learned to behave like they weren’t, their bodies carried permanent marks of their nature. Bruno especially, was covered head to toe in reminders of his abnormal ability. They’d tried to give him the ability to generate heat at will, and succeeded. Bruno could heat his body up by hundreds, even thousands of degrees. Enough heat to spontaneously combust plenty of materials, burn through walls, even melt metal. It undoubtedly had extensive military uses, and Bruno was a promising project for a time. But ultimately, he was deemed a failure. He could generate immense heat, but his body was only able to withstand so much. He was supposed to be heatproof, but the use of his powers left him with blotchy red and brown burn scars all over his body. His hair was soft and light brown. It was pretty hair, and he kept it as long as he could. Unfortunately, he rarely ever got past an inch or two before he had another incident and scorched it all off. Right now he had just a few centimeters of fuzz with burnt ends. Bruno did his best to cope with this. He learned to use makeup to enhance his pretty features, and he was fond of modest clothing like turtlenecks to cover his skin. Much as he tried to transcend his shallower desires, Bruno wanted to be pretty. Being a rail thin bald boy covered in burn scars was the source of endless insecurity. Beyond that, it also greatly increased the risk of getting recognized as a labrat.  
MP got off much easier. No scars or burned hair. No, the only signs of experimentation on him were his eyes. The young man’s enlarged irises were colored bright pink, like the iridescent coloring of some exotic insect. Those flashy eyes with shockingly white pupils could give them away as much as Bruno’s scars, but they were much more easily hidden. His hair was a point of contention. It was a starke white color that Bruno insisted could only have been caused by biological tampering. MP maintained that it was natural. Either way, it didn’t look terribly out of place on a young man like himself. He was thin, though not quite as petite as Bruno, and tall. His dress was less neat than Bruno, he could usually be found in sweatpants and t-shirts or whatever else was convenient, as he was now. If he needed to appear more put together for something, say an event at Bruno’s community college, it was his boyfriend that picked his outfit.  
“So what are ya making?” MP asked.  
“I told you, Leek and Potato soup. It’ll be tasty.” Bruno said, stirring his leek and onions in hot oil. MP came up behind him, grabbing him at the curves of his hips and surveyed his ingredients.  
“No meat?”  
“No, not this time. Just veggies.”  
“Aww, I like meat.”  
“I know you do, babe. But meat’s expensive. Plus you’ve got to eat more veggies.”  
MP hugged Bruno closer to himself, settling his chin onto the boy’s shoulder, “What about chicken nuggets? They’re cheap.”  
“Not as cheap as you think. Remember, I’m the one who does the grocery shopping.”  
“You should make chicken nuggets.”  
“No, babe. I’m already cooking. Maybe another night. Besides, I think we ran out anyway.”  
“You could go to the store again? Pretty pleaseeee?”  
“MP, you’re acting like a kid.”  
“Not my fault I don’t like leeks.”  
“That’s- you’ve never even had them!” Bruno turned around so they were chest to chest, though his crossed arms formed a barrier between them. Once eye contact was made, the idea popped into MP’s head and he impulsively seized the opportunity.  
“You really need to expand your… your… uh, your um…” Bruno seemed to lose track of what he was saying, too caught up in the swirl of MP’s eyes. The literally hypnotic colors drew more and more of his attention and in a matter of moments everything else had faded from his mind. His arms dropped to his side, stirring spoon clattering to the floor. He was entranced.  
MP was not a laboratory failure like Bruno. He was quite possibly the lab’s greatest success. His abilities were so perfectly developed that he’d earned the nickname “Masterpiece” among the scientists. He might still be going by that lofty monicker still if Bruno had not shortened it to the more humble “MP.” The 25 year old lab rat possessed impressive hypnotic abilities. With simple eye contact he could completely override a person’s cognitive functioning. He could replace it with his own, make slight adjustments, or overhaul the whole thing if he chose. In the years since their escape, he’d learned even more tricks. His use of his powers was advancing to areas even Bruno, who had relied on those powers in their tighter spots, grew nervous about the trouble MP might get into. He couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt, using his powers on Bruno like this. But that was just part of taking over another person’s mind. And it was just a twinge, easily ignored.  
“Don’t you wanna go to the store again and pick up more chicken nuggets? You can get those vanilla cookies you like and we can watch a movie on your laptop after dinner. Isn’t that a good idea?”  
“Ah, that is a good idea!” Bruno said with enthusiasm, “It might be a little late by the time I get back, but I’ll hurry. I could always go to a closer store if I need to. Yea, that’ll be quicker. I just be a minute down the street and-” he was leaving the kitchen to grab his coat when something caught his eye… and nose. The stove was on. The smell of onion and garlic in the air. Spoon on the floor. Was someone cooking? An unaccustomed individual might have just shrugged it off, driven forward by MP’s cognitive commands, but Bruno had years of experience with his boyfriend’s talents. He’d learned ways to subconsciously break the spell, and his mind could therefore be pretty slippery.  
“Wait…” He stopped, brows pressed together as he sorted out the conflicting trains of thought in his head. MP couldn’t help but look guilty. He knew he was busted.  
“Wait a minute… I was cooking dinner! I was just cooking dinner and now I’m- Ugh MP! You did it again! I can’t believe you!” He snatched the spoon up and started whacking his boyfriend on the arm.  
MP held his arms up and laughed, “Okay okay! It was just a little joke!”  
“No it wasn’t! I’m serious, MP! You were gonna have me go all the way to the store just to buy things we don’t need. You are such a child!”  
“I’m not a child,” MP frowned, his pride wounded, “I’m older than you, baldy.”  
Bruno went red. The air around him jumped up ten degrees as his abilities were involuntarily triggered. “Don’t call me that! And don’t use your powers on me! Not for childish stuff like this! We’ve talked about this a hundred times and you never listen!”  
“Well, what should I use them for, Bruno Baby?” MP said in his most sultry tone with a sly and knowing smile.  
Bruno’s anger turned to embarrassment, his cheeks took on a _very_ hot blush, “you’re impossible. I’m going to finish dinner now. And I’m not talking to you.”  
“Aw, come onnnn… It was just a little bit of hypno. I even had you getting cookies for yourself.”  
Bruno was silent. Stirring the pot to save his burning leeks with his back turned to MP. This sort of incident happened all the time with them. Despite Bruno’s constant lectures, MP was mischievous and willful at heart. He used his powers at the slightest impulse and he could not be made to follow rules. He was an impudent man-child, but even so a normal life had helped him mature in slow small ways. Despite his ongoing hypnosis hijinks, there hadn’t been a real serious incident in quite some time. As much as he loved absolute freedom to use his powers as he pleased, he loved Bruno more. He was willing to restrict himself in some ways for his sake.  
MP reached around his boyfriend’s hips again, pulling him into a hug. “I’m sorry, Bruno. I’ll eat your boring veggie soup.”  
There was no response.  
“And I’ll get another job app in before we eat.” He added, and slunk off to the bedroom.  
Bruno had to resist his impulse to spoil MP. He knew the guy couldn’t be allowed to do as he pleased. But he smiled, it wasn’t in his nature to stay angry. Especially not with MP. Especially not after all they’d been through. After everything he knew about his partner.  
Bruno couldn’t deny that in many ways he was jealous of MP. It was unfair to him that his partner would get incredible abilities and a flashy pair of eyes, while he was a malfunctioning freak whose abilities could only hurt himself and others. It seemed cruel that MP, blessed with disinterest in his looks and in ‘fitting in’, would be so unmarked by his laboratory origin. Bruno, much as he tried to rise above it, was fixated on appearance. He found himself getting greedy too often. Wanting not just to look normal, but to be pretty. He wanted soft pale skin and a full head of hair. He wanted to be like all the beautiful actors and models of the world he had so recently discovered. In the lab, he’d never had such shallow desires. Escaping had been their long dreamed of liberation, but it was not without its costs.  
Though he felt that beauty was beyond his reach, he held out hope for control. When he was a child his abilities were utterly uncontrolled. He had spent several years naked and barefoot, because any clothing put on his body would be incinerated. As he’d grown, he’d learned to control his strange powers, even after the program had given up on him. Though he hadn’t made much progress since their escape, there was always the hope that one day his powers might be refined into something useful, like MP’s.  
The idea came to him while he was staring at the still surface of the water on the stove, waiting for it to boil. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure MP wasn’t around as he rolled up his sleeve. He dipped his hand into the water, shut his eyes, and tried to concentrate on whatever internal mechanism controlled his body heat. It was easy to turn on. There were bubbles forming on his fingers as soon as he willed that part of him to heat. He then allowed it to increase in temperature, while trying to confine it to a slow and contained rise. The water in the pot began to boil slightly, and he felt a spark of pride. He kept his hands submerged (his body could easily withstand relatively low heat like this) and tried to bring it to a rolling boil. It was an easy task, the water was soon sputtering away around his arm. But something slipped out of his control in doing it. Suddenly his arm was reaching temperatures he never intended for. The water was no longer just boiling, it hissed and leapt out of the pot, steam billowed up into the air. He panicked, yanking his hand out of the pot and nearly knocking it over. But not a second later, his rolled up sleeve ignited, mixing smoke with steam.  
“Shit!” Bruno grabbed a rag and slapped it against his sleeve, trying to smother the flame but only succeeding in ignited the rag. All the while, the air around his arm shimmered from its intense heat. He rushed to the sink, in his panic forgetting which hand to use. The piercing sound of scorching plastic alerted him as his fingers melted into the handle. With cool water from the sink, he did manage to cool his arm down and put out his smoldering sweater sleeve, but not before thoroughly disappointing himself and ruining one of his favorite tops. His hand was still hot enough to burn normal flesh as he sat on the kitchen floor and sighed. Another failure. Every time this happened, he decided to give up his powers. Then he would go back on that decision the next time his jealousy of MP got the best of him. He should have just let the stove do the boiling like a normal person would. 

One changed sweater later, Bruno was serving bowls of homemade leek and potato soup. Despite his incident in the kitchen, the soup had turned out well.  
“I’ve been learning a lot from youtube,” he said as they tucked into bowls of creamy warming goodness, “I think I’m getting pretty good, if I do say so myself.”  
“Hmm, I still want chicken.” MP said. Bruno shot him a wifely glare.  
“But it’s good. I think I like the big green things.”  
“Leeks, babe.”  
“Yeah, those. Thanks for cooking.”  
“Ah, so you _do_ have manners somewhere in there.”  
They were playful with one another. They always had been. Even when the other labrat children had avoided MP for his manipulative tendencies, Bruno had played with him. MP had used his powers on Bruno plenty, but he rarely minded. Bruno had a natural submissiveness and forgiving nature that paired well with his troublesome partner.  
“I got another app in. Some restaurant near here. I can walk there, I think.” MP said.  
Of course, getting a car was not an option for them. Bruno barely made enough with his student work-study to pay rent. Finances were tight. Honestly, Bruno wouldn’t have minded if MP stayed home for him to take care of, but they needed the money, at least until Bruno graduated and could get some real income.  
“Anything other than restaurants?”  
“Uhh, well I figured I could be a pretty good car seller.”  
“Car salesman,” Bruno corrected, “And what on earth gave you an interest in- _Oh_ , I see. MP we talked about this. No using your powers on other people! It can only get us in trouble.”  
“I think it could get us plenty of things. Come on, think of the cash I could bring in! It wouldn’t be stealing, it’d just be… persuasion.”  
“You and I both know that isn’t entirely true.”  
“Ughhh. Why do I have to listen to you? I’m older, and I’m the one who broke us out, remember?”  
“Are you gonna hold that over me forever? Come on, MP. We agreed on this.”  
Bruno reached across the table to rest his hand on MP’s. He made a pleading face, big eyes and pouting lips. As much as he had mastering motherly doting, he could leverage boyfriend cuteness too.  
“Fine. But I’m my own person, you know.”  
“Of course, I know. Just trust me on this, okay? I’ll make you chicken nuggets tomorrow?”  
“Yea… Okay. With Barbeque sauce… please.”  
They finished dinner and the evening in peace. They even managed to fit in an episode of whatever animated show MP was currently watching on Bruno’s laptop before bed. A quiet and simple end to their quiet and simple day in their new quiet and simple life. As Bruno drifted to sleep that night, wrapped in MP’s gangly arms in their shared twin bed, he reflected on what they had accomplished together. They weren’t experiments anymore, they were their own people now. And yes, money was short and they sometimes struggled to stay afloat, but it was hard to complain when everything was so much better than being caged rats. The only real worry he had was losing it all. The government men had told them they’d be free, but not even trusting Bruno was put at ease by that. Always there was the anxiety the MP would do something too rash, or state power would change hands, or those government men would simply change their minds. Anything could happen that would send them on the run again… or worse.  
Still, as time went on, these fears were more and more dulled. Always present, but fading into the background of their busying lives. Bruno would graduate eventually, and then they could really settle down. With the kind of past he had, Bruno wasn’t one to count eggs before they hatched. But in the last waking moments of the day, he let himself dream of how he would decorate a fully furnished kitchen and what herbs he would grow in their garden. 

It was about 4:00am when MP stirred. He’d always had sleeping problems, which he blamed on his psychic powers, but his bad habits played their role too. Waking up early was common, and usually he could get back to sleep easily. Lately though, he’d been taking advantage of those early morning hours.  
“Bruno? Hey B? You up?” He said, rubbing his partner’s arm. There was no response. Good. MP hated to think what kind of lecture he’d get if Bruno caught him doing _this_.  
His pale fingers traced over Bruno’s lips and cheeks, triggering nothing but a slight twitch from the sleeping boy. They then reached his shut eyes, which they ever so gently spread apart. Still Bruno did not wake. MP leaned over, gazing into his partner’s exposed pupil. The darkness of the room made his own eyes glow with bright pink light as his powers allowed him to reach in and seize control of the mind.  
Bruno shifted, then sat up, “Oh, Darling… you should be asleep. You’re still a growing boy, you need your sleep.” He said, his eyes tinged an ever-so-faint pink. He spoke in calm soothing tones, not totally unlike his normal habit, but not quite the same either.  
“I just woke up. I can’t help it,” MP said, and then he added, speaking softer, “Mom.”  
Bruno smiled, “Darling, can mommy help you?”  
MP nodded.  
“I could sing you a lullaby? How about that?”  
“And hold me?”  
“Of course.”  
MP let Bruno embrace him, settling his head against his partner’s soft chest. He got comfortable and then his boyfriend-mother began to singing,  
“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey…”  
He didn’t have a great singing voice. It was a bit scratchy and off key. Singing in front of others was something Bruno would never do without some hypnotic nudging. But while he was under MP’s spell, he sang sweetly and pet his boyfriend’s hair until they both drifted back to sleep.  
“You’ll never know just how much I love you… please don’t take… my sunshine… awayyy…”  
Moments like this were secrets MP kept all to himself. Not only did the guilt of hypnotizing Bruno in his sleep manage to slip through his defenses, but he also prided himself on his independence and detachment from silly sentimental things. That he longed for the mother he never had was a secret he swore he would never let out. Yet he couldn’t resist indulging himself like this. Perhaps it was perverse to make one’s boyfriend play the role of mother, but the lab rats had never had a great sense of what was within the boundaries of normalcy. Besides, Bruno as a mother just seemed natural, to him at least. When they woke, his head would still be nestled into his chest, and their day would begin anew.


End file.
